Hydraulic power transmitter



Sept. 19, 1933. .e. A. KLIMEK HYDRAULIC POWER TRANSMITTER Original FiledJune 19, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR Gasiav A limek'.

"M ATTORNEYS G. A. KLIMEK HYDRAULIC POWER TRANSMITTER Sept. 19, 1933.

Original Filed June 19, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2:

120 [#6 15 fig INVENTOR GZzW-A.Klimez' BY K I ATTORNEYS Sept. 19, 1933.G A, KLIMEK 1,927,040

HYDRAULIC POWER TRANSMI TTER Original Filed June 19, 1929 .4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR G'asiau A .lflz'mei'.

BY WW M ATTORNEYS A-llt Patented Sept. 19, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,921,040HYDRAULIC rowEn TRANSMITTER Gustav A.

signor to Turbine Klimek, East Rutherford, NHL, as-

Patcnts Corporation, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application 14 Claims.

This invention relates to hydraulic power transmission devices and moreparticularly to the type wherein there is employed a fluid impellingmember, afluid impelled member, and a liquid which establishes thedriving couple therebetween, the liquidbeing moved/by the impellingmember through a confined path wherein is located the member which isimpelled by impact of the movingfluid therewith. This type is known 0 asthe Fdttinger transmitter and is disclosed and broadly claimed in Patent1,199,359, issued Sept. 26, 1916.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction andmode of operation of 15 hydraulic power transmissions in a manner whichparticularly adapts them to use for the transmission of power inautomotive vehicles, although it is to be understood that the inventionis not to be limited to such use, but is readily adaptable to usewherever power transmitters of the hydraulic type may be desired.

A hydraulic power transmitter inorder to attain a point of highefliciency should be so constructed and arranged fluid couple betweenthe driving and driven members when in operation, and at the same timeprovide for rendering ineifective the fluid couple without producing adrag upon the driven member, and with the expenditure of a minimum ofpower and with as few moving parts as possible. It is also highlydesirable in devices of this character, especially where they areintended for use in automotive vehicles, so to construct the mechanismthat the entire structure will be within certain practical limitationsas regards weight and size.

In certain types of hydraulic transmissions heretofore devised, it hasbeen proposed to combine with the fluid couple or clutch, a positivemechanical clutch for establishing or breaking the driving connection.Such a construction, however, has not proven satisfactory to the de--sired degree due mainly to the multiplicity of parts involved and alsoto an inherent tendency ,on the part of the mechanical clutch to developa drag when in its idle position.

- It has also been proposed to eliminate the mechanical clutch andrender inoperative the fluid couple between the driving and driven mem-'bers by a bodily movement of the driver? member to a position out ofthe-path of the moving fluid. Such a construction, however, necessitatesthe use of a housing of large enough dimensions to permit of the drivenmember being moved into andout of the path of the moving fluid which asto provide an effective novelmeans for rendering ineifective th betweensaid driving and driven members. I

. in the provision of a novel braking mechanism so June 19, 1929, SerialNo. 372,085 Renewed May 4, 1933 resulted in-a structure so bulky andheavy as to be unsatisfactory for use in automotive vehicles. Anotherundesirable feature in devices of this type resides in the fact thatconsiderable power is necessary to effect movement of the driven 60member into and out of the path of moving fluid.

It has also been proposed in the art, to control the fluid couple bymeans of a valve interposed in the path of the moving fluid which valvewhen open permits'a free flow of fluid, thus establishing an operativefluid couple between the driving and driven members. When closed, thevalve intercepts the flow of fluid and thus renders ineffective thefluid couple between the driving and driven members. One highlyundesirable condition inherent in devices of this character, however, isthat continued rotation of the driving member within the fluid flowintercepted, builds up aback pressure between the valve and the drivingmember which back pres sure seriously effects the operation of thedriving member.

The present invention provides a construction in hydraulicpower-transmitters in which the several disadvantages inherent in thetypes 30 aforementioned are eliminated, and it is-a feature of thepresent invention to provide new and uid couple between a driving anddriven member in a power transmission of the hydraulic type.

Another feature of the invention resides in a novel form of fluidimpelled member constructed and arranged in such a manner that it may becollapsed into a position out of the path of the moving fluid to renderineffective the fluid couple between the driving and driven members, orextended into a position in the path of movement of the fluid $0 effectan operative fluid couple A further feature of the invention consists inthe new and improved construction of driven member by which constructionall drag is eliminated when the fluid couple is rendered ineffective.

A still further feature of the invention resides 1 in the mechanismemployed for operating the driven member to efl'ect its movement to itsextended and'collapsed positions.

A still further feature of the invention resides constructed andarranged as to prevent movement of the driven member during thoseperiods when the fluid couple is rendered inoperative.

Other features of the invention relate to certain 1 I10 novel andimproved constructions, arrangements,

- shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of a hydraulicpower transmission 'constructed in accordance with the presentinvention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, showing the fluid drivenmember in extended position,

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the same scale,

showing the fluid driven member in collapsed position,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l, with aportion of the transmission housing or casing broken away, andillustrating cer tain of the inner construction in section,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view illustrating the position the several vanesor blades assume when the driven member is collapsed.

Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view illustrating the position the severalvanes or blades assume when the driving member is in its extendedposition, said View also illustrating the attachment to the vanes orblades, of the means for operating them to collapse and expand thedriven member,

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view illustrating one of the mounts of thevanes or blades,

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of one of the vanes or blades, and

Fig. 10 is a detail view of a bearing member employed to support thevanes or blades in position. v

In the herein illustrated embodiment of the invention, the powertransmitter includes a pair. of members 10 and 11 of which 10constitutes the driving member, and 11 the driven member. The drivingmember may be in the form of a fly wheel connected in any desired mannerto the shaft 12 of a suitable prime mover, not herein illustrated.

The driven member as herein illustrated consists of a fluid impelledturbine rotor carried by a shaft 1% which in turn may be connected inany approved manner to any type of mechanism which it may be desired todrive. The driven member is preferably splined to the shaft 14 as at 13in a manner which permits of a slight sliding movement of the drivenmember upon said shaft, and the free end 15 of the shaft li ispreferably supported in a suitable bearing 16 mounted in the drivingmember 10.

Operative or driving connection between the driving and driven membersis established by means of a liquid of which motor'lubricating oil isone good example. The fluid is set in motion by a fluid impelleroperated by the driving member and during movement of the fluid it iscaused to impinge against. the driven member, which as heretofore statedpreferably is in the form of a fluid impelledturbine rotor, thus settingup a rotation of the driven member.

In the present illustration of the invention the fluid impeller isembodied in the driving member which as heretofore stated may be the flywheel of any suitable prime mover. In carrying out the invention in sucha manner the flyinaaoco wheel is of such porportion as will permit ofthe formation therein at a point preferably adjacent its peripheraledge, of a plurality of substantially radially extending passages suchas shown at 4:0 in the drawings. The inlets and outlets of theseradially extending passages are designated at ll and 42 respectively,and it will be noted that the inletsand outlets 41 and 42 of thesepassages 40 face approximately axially in a plane substantially at rightangles to the axis of rotation.

The driven member 11 may include a main body portion 50 preferablycircular in form, and having its peripheral edge provided with acontinuous flange 51. Suitably secured to the flanged portion 51 of themain body portion of the driven member as by rivets or the like 52 thereis an annular member 53 defining the peripheral edge of which there is acontinuous right angularly disposed flange 54 which is located insubstantially the same plane as the inher walls of the outlets 42 of theradial passages 40 .of the fluid impeller.

Arranged upon the inner face of this annular member 53 closely adjacentthe peripheral edge thereof, there is a series of spaced radial vanes orblades 55. As best shown in Fig. 7 these vanes or blades are attached atone of their side edges to the annular member 53 as at 56 by means of apivotal connection, the axis of which lies parallel to the inner face ofannular member 53 and radially, substantially tangent to a circle,coaxially with said member 53 and whose diameter is equivalent to thedistance between pivots 56 and 57 of blades 55. The opposite side edgeof each of the vanes or blades 55 is pivotally connected as at 5'7 witha bearing member 58 which bearing members are rotatably mounted in asecond annular member 59. Each of these bearing membersrotates in saidannular member 59 about its own axis which extends parallel to the axisof rotation of the driving and driven members. The annular member 59 iscarried or supported from the annular member 53 by the vanes or blades55 and together with said vanes or blades 55, forms radial passages 60in the driven member, the inlets of which are juxtaposed to the outletsof the radial passages 40 of the driving member with their outletsjuxtaposed to the inlets of said passages 40.

Extending from the driving member to the flange 54 of the driven member,there is an outer wall 61. An inner wall 62 extends from the drivingmember substantially to the annular member 53 of the driven member, andthe peripheral edge of this latter wall preferably lies behind anannular flange 63 upon the inner face of said annular member 53.

As heretofore stated, the spaced blades 55 of the driven member togetherwith the annular members 53 and 59 thereof form fluid passages 60 whichextend radially of the driven member, the inlets of which passages arejuxtaposed to the outlets of the radial passages 40 of the drivingmember, while the outlets of the passages 50 are juxtaposed to theinlets of said passages 40. The heretofore described walls 61 and 52serve respectively to complete these passages -10 and 60 and to directthe iiuid in its flow to the inlets thereof.

The driven member operates within a suitable casing or housing which inthe present embodiment of the invention is illustrated as comprising twoparts, with the driving member 19 constituting one of the parts. Theother or outer member annular member 53 by reason of the fact that theof the casing or housing is preferably in the form of a plate suitablysecured adjacent its peripheral edge to the driving member as at 18.This outer casing member 1'7 may be provided with a suitable opening 19for the reception of the shaft 14 and projecting axially from the outercasing member 17 there is a sleeve extension 20. The internal diameterof this sleeve extension 20 is preferably greater than the diameter ofthe shaft 14 whereby to provide an annular space 21 between the innerface of the sleeve extension and the outer face of the shaft 14. Mountedin this annular space 14 there is a suitable packing 22 maintained undercompression by a packing ring 23 and a coiled spring 24 backed up by acollar or gland 25 which latter is retained in position by a suitablelock bolt or the like 26. Mounted upon the shaft 14 and interposedbetween the hub portion 28 of the driven member 11 and a projectingflange 29 of the outer casing member 17, there is a thrust bearing 27preferably of the antifriction type. It will also be not d that theprojecting flange 29 of the outer cas ng is provided with an internalannular channel 30 which has communication with the interior of thecasing or housing through a passage 31 by which construction the pointof bearing of the outer casing member 17 may be at all times suppliedwith lubricant from the interior of the casing or housing.

The casing or housing is adapted to contain a suitable liquid such asmotor lubricating oil in a sufficient quantity to substantially fill theinterior thereof including the passages 40 and 60. This fluid may beintroduced into the casing or housing through a suitable filling opening65 which may be closed after filling by a screw plug or the like 66.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that if the casing or housing isfilled with suitable liquid, and the several parts are in the positionsin which they are shown in Fig. 2, rotation of the driving member 10will set up a movement of the fluid through the passages 40. The fluidin its discharge from the passages 40 is directed against the vanes orblades 55 and through the passages 60 of the driven member and causesthe same to rotate as long as rotation of the driving member iscontinued. Thus it will be seen that the fluid in its movement throughthe passages 40 and 60 establishes an effective fluid couple between thedriving and driven members.

In certain installations, such for example as in automotive vehicles, itis necessary to provide for continuous operation of the driving memberwithout effecting operation of the driven member. and in the presentembodiment of the invention this result is accomplished by renderingineffective the fluid couple between the driving and driven members.

To render ineffective the fluid couple between the driving and-drivenmembers, the present invention contemplates a collapsing or folding ofthe turbine rotor. As heretofore described, the vanes or blades 55 ofthe turbine rotor are pivotally connected to the annular members 53 and59, the said annular member 59 being carried and supported by said vanesor blades. It will thus be apparent that if the vanes or blades aremoved about their pivotal points, they will fold or collapse to positionagainst the annular member 53 and in so doing will move the annularbearing members 58 to which the vanes or blades are pivotally connected,are free to rotate in the annular member 59 during movement thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention hereinthe exterior of the casing orhousing which means is operably connected to three of the vanes orblades, the remaining vanes or blades being operated by the annularmember 59 in its movement toward the annular member 53 which movement iseffected by operation of the three blades to which} the operating meansis connected. As more clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and. 7, three ofthe vanes or blades preferably have a squared socket such as in'Fig. 6and said socket is adapted to receive the squared end 71 of a rod orshaft 72 which as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 is mounted in a suitablebearing such as '73 in the flanged periphery 51 of the main body portionof the driven member 11. Suitably attached to the inner end of this rodor shaft, and offset with relation to the axis thereof there is-a thrustreceiving member 74 substantially spherical in form and this thrustreceiving member occupies a position in the peripheral channel 75 of aring or similar member 76. This ring is preferably slidably mounted upona plurality of rods or the like 7'7 carried by the outer casing member17 and interposed between said ring and the inner face of the outercasing member 17, and preferably surrounding said rods '77 there arecoil springs 78 which tend to force the ring member '76 in the directionof the main body portion of the member 11.

Operation of the ring member '76 from the exterior of the casing orhousing is had through the medium of a'suitable number of driving rods80 slidably mounted in the outer casing member 17, which are suitablyconnected at their inner ends as by a screw threaded connection 81 tothe ring member 76. These driving rods 80 preferably operate in stuffingboxes 82 to prevent leakage of the fluid from the interiorof the casingor housing. At their outer ends, these rods' are connected to a suitableoperating means herein illustrated as a flanged collar 85 which isslidably mounted upon the sleeve extension 20 of the outer casing member17. Surrounding the collar there is a suitable antifriction bearing 86which is retained in position thereon by means of a nut 87 havingthreaded engagement with the flanged,

supported in any desired manner preferably above' the shaft 14, anddepending therefrom on opposite sides of the shaft 14, there is a lever101. As more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, each lever 101 has mountedin its lower end a pin such as 102. Extending from each of these pins102, and passing through suitable bearings 104 in the housing of theantifriction bearing 86 there is a driving rod 103. Each driving rod 103is preferably screw threaded, as shown in Fig. 1, to receive nuts 105which function as operating shoulders upon the driving rods 103 andwhich engage the housing of the roller bearing *86, to move the same inone direction. Movement of said housing in the opposite direction ispreferably cushioned by coil spring 106 surrounding the extended ends ofthe driving rods 103 and preferably placed under compression between thebearings 10% and nuts 107 drivi pivotal points and move the annularmember 59 into juxtaposition to the annular member 53. This causes theremaining vanes or blades to move about their pivotal points and efiectsa complete collapse of the turbine rotor to the position in which it isshown in Fig. 3. In this position the collapsed turbine rotor is out ofthe path of travel of the fluid moved by the fluid impeller, and thusthe fluid couple between the driving and. driven member is renderedineifective.

To insure proper slowing down or stopping of the driven member uponcomplete collapse of the turbine rotor, a suitable brake mechanism isemployed. This brake mechanism is best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 andby reference to said figures it will be seen to include in its presentembodiment, a flanged collar 110 suitably secured to the shaft 14. Thiscollar forms the support or attaching means for a brake drum 111 whichis surrounded by a flexible brake band, 112 having a suitable brakelining 113. This brake band 112 is preferably of the split type and atits ends it is provided with lugs 114 which in turn are formed withlateral projections 115 each of which has a plurality of cam surfaces116. Interposed between the ends of the brake band there is a coilspring 118 which tends to normally spread the resilient band to preventbraking engagement of the brake drum therewith.

Passing through the lugs 114 and the coil spring 118 there is a shaft119 preferably in the form of a bolt both ends of which are screwthreaded as shown for the reception of nuts or the like 120. and thelateral extensions 115 of the resilient band 112, and carried by eachend of said shaft 119 there is an arm 125. The upper end of each ofthese arms 125 engages its respective pin 102. The lower end of each ofthese arms is provided with an ofiset portion 126 which is preferablyformed with cam faces 127 adapted to cooperate with the heretoforementioned cam faces 116 for the purpose to be hereinafter specificallydescribed. f

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen ,that each timethe shaft 100 is rocked to effect a. collapsing of the turbine rotor,the arms 125 will be rocked about the shaft 119, and through the mediumof the engaging cam faces 116 and 127, the brake band will be contractedabout the brake drum to produce braining action thereon and thus stoprotation of the driven member during the interval of time the turbine ismaintained collapsed. The brake band 112 is provided with grooves 128engaging with the end of the pins 102. The purpose, of this arrangementis to absorb all tangential forces in the brake hand during thecollapsing of the turbine rotor by the pins 102, arms 101 and rock shaft100.

The means by which the rock shaft 100 is op- Interposed between the nuts12d aeaaoee shaft 100 would preferably be operated by a foot pedal butin other types of installations the means for operation of the shaftmay-take that form which is most suitable to the installation. Whateverform the operation means of the shaft 100 may take it is to beunderstood that the normal position of the parts is shown in Fig. 2, andthe operating means of the shaft 100 would preferably be of a type whichwill tend to move the parts to their normal position when the operatingmeans is released.

While the invention has been herein illustrated in its preferred forms,it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to those forms inwhich it is illustrated, but is capable of embodiment in such otherforms as rightfully fall within the purview of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what'I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hydraulic power transmitter, a fluid impeller and a fluidimpelled member forming a fluid couple therebetween in which the liquidis impelled from said impeller to drive said impelled member, said fluidimpelled member comprising a plurality of spaced annular members, vanesor blades pivotally connected to said annular members, and meanscooperating with said blades or vanes to move them about their pivotalpoints to effect a collapsing of said fluid impelled member, said meansincluding one of said annular members.

2. In a hydraulic power transmitter, a fluid impeller and a fluidimpelled member forming a fluid couple therebetween in which the liquidis impelled from said impeller to drive said impelled member, said fluidimpelled member comprising a plurality of annular members vanes orblades pivotally connected to said annular men bers, and means formoving one of said annular members toward the other annular member toefl'ect a collapsing of the fluid impelled member.

3. In a hydraulic power transmitter, a fluid impeller and a fluidimpelled member forming a fluid couple therebetween in which the liquidis impelled from said impeller to drive said impelled member, said fluidimpelled member comprising a plurality of annular members, vanes orblades pivotally connected to said annular members, and means for movingone of said annular members toward the other annular member to eiiect acollapsing of said fluid impelled member, said means including at leastone of said vanes or blades.

4. In a hydraulic power transmitter, a fluid impeller and a fluidimpelled member forming a fluid couple therebetween in which the liquidis impelled from said impeller to drive said impelled member, said fluidimpelled member comprising a plurality of annular members, vanes orblades pivotally connected to said annular members, and means for movingone of said amiular members toward the other annular member to effect acollapsing of said fluid impelled member, said means including at leastone of said vanes or blades and one of said annular members.

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5. A turbine rotor for hydraulic power trans-,

mitters comprising a main body portion, an annular member securedthereto, a plurality of vanes or blades pivotally mounted on saidannular member, and a second annular member carried by said vanes orblades and movable toward and from said first mentioned annular member.

6. A turbine rotor for hydraulic power transmitters comprising a mainbody portion, an annular member secured thereto, a plurality of vanes orblades pivotally mounted on said annular member, and a second annularmember carried by said vanes or blades and being pivotally attachedthereto and movable toward and from said first mentioned annular member.

7. A turbine rotor for hydraulic power transmitters comprising a mainbody portion, an annular member secured thereto, a plurality of vanes orblades pivotally mounted on said annular member, and a second annularmember carried by said vanes or blades and being pivotally attachedthereto, said second mentioned annular member being movable into and outof juxtaposition with the first mentioned annular member by movement ofthe vanes or blades about their pivotal points.

8. A turbine rotor for hydraulic power transmitters comprising a mainbody portion, an annular member secured thereto, a plurality of vanes orblades pivotally mounted on said annular member, and a second annularmember carried by said vanes or blades and being pivotally attachedthereto, said second mentioned annular member being movable into and outof juxtaposition with the first mentioned annular member by movement ofthe vanes or blades about their pivotal points, and means carried by themain body portion for operating said blades.

9. A turbine rotor for hydraulic power transmitters comprising a bodymember, an annular member carried by said body member, a plu ality ofvanes or blades carried by said annular member, and a second annularmember supported from the first mentioned annular member by said vanesor blades, said vanes or blades being pivotally connected to both ofsaid annular members, whereby they may be moved to positionssubstantially parallel with or at right angles to said members uponrelative movement of said members toward and from each other.

10. A turbine rotor for hydraulic power transmitters comprising a bodymember, an annular member carried by said body member, a plurality ofvanes or blades carried by said annular member, and a second annularmember supported from the first mentioned annular member by said vanesor blades, said annular members and said vanes or blades being pivotallyconnected to one another, whereby to permit movement of the secondmentioned annular member toward and away from the first mentionedannular member.

11. In a collapsible rotor for fluid power transmitters, a plurality ofpivotally mounted vanes or blades, one side of said vanes or bladesbeing mounted for pivotal movement about axes in one plane, with theopposite side of said vanes or blades mounted for pivotal movement aboutaxes lying in a parallel plane.

12. In a collapsible rotor for fluid power transmitters, a plurality ofpivotallymounted vanes or blades, one side of each vane or blade beingmounted for pivotal movement about an axis in a transverse radial plane,and the opposite side of each vane or blade being mounted for pivotalmovement about an axis in a transverse radial plane spaced-axially ofthe rotor from said first I mentioned plane.

member and extending in directions substantially tangential to a circlecoaxial with the rotor and of a diameter substantially equal to thedistance between successive blades, and pivotal connections between eachof said blades and the other member, the pivotal connections at oppositeedges of each blade being substantially parallel, and the pivotalconnections between said blades and said second mentioned member beingfree to oscillate in respect to said member about axes parallel to theaxis of rotation of said rotor.

14. A collapsible rotor for hydraulic power transmitters of theFbttinger type, including a pair of annular members, and a plurality ofvanes connecting said members, said vanes being pivoted along oppositeedgesoi. said members, whereby said members may be moved toward or fromeach other. I GUSTAV A. KLIMEK.

